The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1887-02-12
RAILROAD HORI TOR.
A Vermont Central Trail Breaks
Through Bridge, and the Wreck is
Consumed by Fire-Neariy Forty Per-
sons Killed and Burned TO Death
Over Thirty Injured.


Consumed by Fire-Nearly Forty Per-
sons Killed and Burned 10 Death
Over Thirty Injured.
HARTFORD, W., Feb. 5.-One of the most
frightful accidents in the history of railroad
ing in this country occurred at th.e bridge over
the White river, between this pl ace and West
Hartford, 4 miles from White River Junction,
at about 2 o'clock this morning. Two sleep
ing cars and two passenger coaches plunged
from the slight bridge to the frozen surface of
the river, some 60 feet below. To add to the
horror of the wreck, which was complete in
itself, the cars, partially immersed in the
freezing cold water, took fire, and the few
who managed to escape saw their tellow-pas
sengers, who had escaped death in the wreck,
slowly roasted to death.
No definite information as TO the number
of people killed is possible. The trunks of
sc bodies charred beyond recognition and of
three persons who were killed, but were not
burned, had been recovered at sunset, and
one car had not been examined. The loss Is
variously estimated at from so upward to
even as great a number as IS. The railway
officials have kept such information as they
have as to the number of passengers on the
wrecked train to themselves, and otherwise
seemed to exert themselves to obstruct rather
than assist in attempts to procure informa-
ton Estimates as to the lumber of passen-
gers on the Inflated train vary widely at from
10 to 125, the former being the official es-
innate, the latter that of passengers. The
actual number was somewhere between the
two in all probability.
The wrecked train was that known as the
Boston and Montreal express 1t was made
up of two sections, the Boston section consist
ing of the Pullman sleeping car Puritan, a
passenger coach, smoking car, and mail and
express cars. To this section was added the
sleeping car st. Adams and passenger coach
from Springfield, Mass, at White River juno
ton. The train had many excursionists
bound for the Montreal carnival, and owing
to delays was behind time, not leaving White
River Junction until after o'clock, Less
than a half hour later the train was complete
wreck. A broken rail, or the breaking of a
car wheel, did the mischief. The locomotive,
postal car, baggage and smoking car passed
over the bridge in safety, but the two Pull
man cars and the two passenger coaches with
their crowd of passengers went whirling over
the abutment to the surface OF the frozen
river, there to be crushed and broken, and
then burned with nearly all on board, but five
persons escaping from the wreck uninjured.
Those who were killed or burned to death in
the Pullman coaches were in their night
clothing, thus making the Identification of the
charred remains almost an absolute impossi-
hility. As the clothing was burned from the
bodies of the occupants of the passenger
coaches, like trouble in identification is
had,
STATEMENTS OF SURVIVORS.
One of the first passengers to escape from
the burning wreck was Joseph Magnet, a
French Canadian boy living in Shaewigan,
Canada. He was with his father, David
Magnet, on their way from Holyoke to their
home. The boy sat three seats behind his
father, in the third car from the rear. He
was dosing in his seat when he felt the car
SILVER. This motion was kept up for a few
seconds, and then the car dashed over the
bridge upon the ice. By hard work the boy
succeeded in getting ont of one of the car
windows, which still held its shape. Joseph
at once went in search of his father, and dis
covered him, by the light of the burning
wreckage, Just above him, pinned down by
part of the top of the car, which had fallen
directly across bis chest and legs. The old
raan was as firmly held as ifi in a wise. joseph
was the only one who escaped from the car,
as he says, and rushed to his father assistance
and spoke words of encouragement to him.
The father was very cool under the circum-
stances, and told his son to help him out as
soon as possible. The hoy seized his father
and struggled with all his strength to oxtr-
cate him, but in vain. The flames were APP
preaching rapidly. ''Joseph," said the faith.
err, "run and get an axe or a saw" but the
boy could not find either "Pull me out,
them said the father, ''even if you have to
break my legs to DO it," Joseph tugged away
with all his might but could not stir his faith
- With wonderful GOODNESS the
self up to his fate< ITS no
M4lllsh anu fs2id; there IL hope fol-,
Iy. amount in the distribShon.
= codic;Is which were set aside bequedrnes.-